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iZotope RX6 and beyond...


SoundHound

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I just got my copy of CAS Quarterly wherein there is a review of the RX6. Lots more dandy stuff to clean up dialogue. Were I mixing today I wouldn't know what would be Production Sound Quality. I would want a real education on the RX6, etc. so I could estimate to my 1st AD/Producer/Director what the likely Post Production time and costs would be verses my estimate of set time and resources.

 

However, the real ear opener was the more than inkling that iZotope is planning to "synthesize unrecoverable dialogue," sometime soon, in the future. So, for many productions, after the release of RX7 (8?) anything more than cue track could be wasting production time and resources.

 

I leave it to those of you in the business to examine the implications.

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13 hours ago, SoundHound said:

I just got my copy of CAS Quarterly wherein there is a review of the RX6. Lots more dandy stuff to clean up dialogue. Were I mixing today I wouldn't know what would be Production Sound Quality. I would want a real education on the RX6, etc. so I could estimate to my 1st AD/Producer/Director what the likely Post Production time and costs would be verses my estimate of set time and resources.

 

However, the real ear opener was the more than inkling that iZotope is planning to "synthesize unrecoverable dialogue," sometime soon, in the future. So, for many productions, after the release of RX7 (8?) anything more than cue track could be wasting production time and resources.

 

I leave it to those of you in the business to examine the implications.

I'm a user of RX6 Advanced and I take it upon myself to practice on and learn the software on terrible sounding tracks whenever I get the chance.  Fortunately as a PSM these tracks aren't mine but downloads from Gear Sluts or other forums that deal with post.  Its the "can anything be done to save this track" scenario.  There's the old saying that states "you can't polish a turd".  With RX6 and other post tools you actually can polish the turd to a point but it will never be what you could have if the track was recorded well in the first place.  The ability to synthesize unrecoverable dialogue might change all that but in my opinion it would still be worth it to do the best you can on set.  

One of the first things I notice if I watch a low budget movie or any project that didn't get it right on set is noise reduction if its done poorly and/or overcooked.  The tools are complex and may not work the way you think they do and its a process that works differently on every new track.  Its also time consuming if you do it right.  

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As a dialogue editor, a sound engineer ... and a 'filmmaker' :

 

A good topic, perhaps the wrong title (it could be Cedar And .... or many many others over the last several years).

In a studio situation, I am able to put the 'right' mic in the best possible position, then it's my experience and judgement that hopefully gets me a good sound. On set, one does the same, but the best possible position is rarely if ever the best position. This has always been the case, even in the pretty rare eras when camera waited on sound. Even when production sound is great (in narrative film) there is work to be done down the line by the dialogue editor and rerecording mixer (and often ADR editor/mixer and most importantly the actor reperforming). These are our jobs, and hopefully we all do good jobs of it. Certain products help us do our jobs but that's it. Perhaps if things reach a stage that our employers believe that the software/hardware is providing the skill we might need a big rethink: the budget remixer for instance suggesting it's his talent, not his investment, that provides the miraculous result. In the meantime let's keep working well with all departments and preach to the producers and directors the needs (within reason) of the sound department.

 

I love the tech and welcome it. It's not filmmaking, we are.

 

Jez

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